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Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Without GBAs?
arxmage writes "A group of my students went to extremes to play the GameCube ARPG Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles in multiplayer mode with wireless controllers, and without using a Game Boy Advance [as a Gamers Europe review explains, the multiplayer mode 'requires each player to have a Game Boy Advance and a GameCube link cable'.] You basically get a GameCube with FF:CC in it, then get 4 more GCs with attached GameBoy Players. Link each of these 4 GCs (using GBA link cables) to the main GC, and plug each of these 4 GCs into its own small tv. The small TVs act as each player's 'GBA screen' and the main TV is where everyone plays. Finally, plug a WaveBird into each of these 4 GameCubes and you're good to go." The resulting cable mess is a joy to behold.
We came up with this idea about a week before the game came out, and tested it the weekend after it was released. It works fairly well, though it does tend to end up being overkill.
You can definately mix and match the systems though. 2 gamecubes, 1 gameboy players, and 3 gameboy advanced was what we went with.
Though, I should point out that there is a bug in the system that allows you to control it a 3rd and 4th player with normal gamecube controllers if you have 2 gameboy advanceds, or obviously, two extra gamecubes with gameboy players.
Basically, you use one gameboy advanced to hold the multiplayer window open, plug in the other gameboy advance, let it pass the check, and then swap it with a regular controller.
That method has some disadvantages, because you need to swap controllers at times to give screens to the players who don't have them. For example, in the town, when you're selling things, buying things, customizing items, or rearranging you inventory in preparation for tough battles.
Also, you can swap out a 2nd player's gameboy advanced unit with a normal gamecube controller when they have to leave in the middle of a level, as we learned when a whipped friend's girlfriend called him home.
I've already seen something similar done though. Me and a friend got our GC's together and played Mario Kart Super Circuit Side by side on a WideScreen TV with the GB-Player.
Thats a special kind of awesome though. I didn't realize that you could trick Crystal Chronicles into thinking the GB Player was a GBA. I'm going to have to try it with my friends now.
X
Well in my case (that is last weekend) total we had access to 3 gamecubes, 2 moveable televisions, 1 very immoveable HDTV, 2 GBASPs, 1 GBA, 3 link cables, 1 gameboy player (a friend of my brother's owns one, I don't. If I had known that they had link cable connections on them I might have figured this idea myself) and about 60 total bottles/cans of beer.
We almost had enough stuff to allow 2 people to use TVs and the other 2 use GBASP (using a GBA vanilla can be tough without good background lighting) knowing this about the GBA player I am going to be keeping my eyes open for a used unit.
On Wall Street they say "buy low, sell high" On the pad we say, "buy high, sell high" Isn't that somehow better?
When we used to split the N64's signal between 2 TVs and then cover half the screen with a piece of cardboard so we could play 2 vs. 2 without cheating.
-my other sig is your mom
but the Gameboy Player Manual says that you shouldn't connect a gameboy player with another gameboy player.
Maybe Nintendo is afraid that the Gameboy Player will out sell the GBA? I don't think so...
That would defeat the point of developing the games as one where people have different maps and objectives. You'd take the main point of the multiplayer away. Have you played it single player? It's not anywhere near as fun, and that's exactly how the multi-player would play out without the innovative gameplay.
This is why gameplay doesn't change much -- people have to be dragged kicking and screaming from their boring rehashes of old ideas!
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